XAFS and SRGI-XRD studies of the local structure of tellurium corrosion of Ni–18%Cr alloy

The speciation and atomic structures of corrosion products in Ni-based alloys could provide basic information for understanding the Te corrosion mechanism. In this paper, two-dimensional synchrotron-radiation-induced grazing incidence X-ray diffraction was used to characterize the corrosion products of a Ni–18%Cr binary alloy at temperatures from 600 to 1000℃. The results showed that a film of Cr Te is preferentially formed when Te reacts with the Ni-based alloy at low temperatures(below 900℃), while Cr Te and Ni_3Te_2 are formed at 900℃. Moreover, at a temperature of 1000℃, a solid solution is formed without any changes in the Ni–Cr substrate lattice parameters. Furthermore, X-ray absorption fine structure and wavelet transform analyses were used toinvestigate the atomic local structure of Te. The investigation indicated that Te atoms diffuse into the Ni–Cr substrate to form a substitutional Ni–Cr–Te solid solution at 1000℃. Notably, based on a discussion of the thermodynamics of the chemical reaction process, Cr Te is considered to be the most stable and prevalent corrosion product due to its comparatively lower Gibbs free energy of formation. These results demonstrate that the Ni–18%Cr alloy is capable of resisting the diffusion of Te atoms.     

The effect of Nb additive on Te-induced stress corrosion cracking in Ni alloy: a first-principles calculation

Nb can improve the resistance of Ni-based Hastelloy N alloy to Te-induced intergranular embrittlement. First-principles calculations are performed to research this mechanism by simulating the Ni（111） surface and the ∑ 5（012） grain boundary. The calculated adsorption energy suggests that Te atoms prefer diffusing along the grain boundary to forming the surface-reaction layer with Nb on surface of the Ni alloy. First-principles ten- sile tests show that the Nb segregation can enhance the cohesion of grain boundary. The strong Nb-Ni bonding can prevent the Te migration into the inside of the alloy. According to the Rice-Wang model, the strengthen- ing/embrittling energies of Nb and Te are calculated, along with their mechanical and chemical components. The chemical bonds and electronic structures are analyzed to uncover the physical origin of the different effects of Te and Nb. Our work sheds lights on the effect of Nb additive on the Te-induced intergranular embrittlement in Hastelloy N alloy on the atomic and electronic level.     

Effects of thermal aging on Fe ion-irradiated Fe–0.6%Cu alloy investigated by positron annihilation

Thermal aging effects on surface of 2.5 Me V Fe ion-irradiated Fe–0.6%Cu alloy were investigated using positron annihilation techniques. The samples were irradiated at 573 K to a dose of 0.1 dpa. Their thermal aging was performed at 573 K for 5, 50 and 100 h. From the results of Doppler broadening measurement, an obvious trough could be seen in near-surface region from the S parameters and inflection point form at S–W curves. This indicates changes in the annihilation mechanism of positrons in surface region after thermal aging. Coincident Doppler broadening indicates that the density of Cu precipitates in the thermal aged samples decreased, due to recovery of the vacancies.     

The Effects of Al,Cr on the Oxidation Behavior of a V-4Ti Alloy

Oxidation experiment was performed in air at elevated temperature for three kinds of vanadium alloys. The features of the oxides and the role of the alloying elements were analyzed. All specimens exhibited a parabolic kinetic behavior of weight gain with the exposure time. The alloys can't be used in air at the temperature over 700℃, below which, V4Ti3Al showed a much lower oxidation rate than the V4Cr4Ti alloy. It was found that Al in the alloy was segregated to the specimen surface in the process, and formed into Al2O3 on the surface, hence decreasing the formation of V2O5. The oxides on the surface were nucleated in a small number density and grew to a large size, giving more protection to the matrix alloy.     

The Effects of A1, Cr on the Oxidation Behavior of a V-4Ti Alloy

Oxidation experiment was performed in air at elevated temperature for three kinds of vanadium alloys. The features of the oxides and the role of the alloying elements were analyzed. All specimens exhibited a parabolic kinetic behavior of weight gain with the exposure time. The alloys can‘t be used in air at the temperature over 700℃, below which, V4Ti3A1 showed a much lower oxidation rate than the V4Cr4Ti alloy. It was found that A1 in the alloy was segregated to the specimen surface in the process, and formed into Al2O3 on the surface, hence decreasing the formation of V2O5. The oxides on the surface were nucleated in a small number density and grew to a large size, giving more protection to the matrix alloy.     

Application of CCD Cameras to Investigations of Mixing on Boundaries of a Thermal Plasma Jet

Mixing of a thermal plasma jet with the surrounding atmosphere was studied using two CCD cameras （PCO SensiCam） situated detecting simultaneously the radiation of argon and nitrogen. The evaluation of image differences between two records showed that the location of regions on plasma jet boundaries characterised by stronger nitrogen radiation changes with the plasma flow rate. Close-to-laminar flow results in a small mixing rate and consequently low nitrogen optical emission on plasma jet boundaries. The increase of the flow rate leads to the formation of a relatively thick and stable layer on the boundaries characterised by strong nitrogen radiation. Further enhancement of the flow rate results in the formation of unstable regions of excited nitrogen molecules moving along the jet.     

Exposure of Equal-Channel Angular Extruded Tungsten to Deuterium Plasma

Surface morphology and deuterium retention in ultrafine-grained tungsten fabricated by equal-channel angular pressing(ECAP) have been examined after exposure to a low energy,high-flux deuterium(D) plasma at fluences of 3×10~(24) D/m~2 and 1×10~(25) D/m~2 in a temperature range of 100 ℃-150 ℃.The methods used were scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and thermal desorption spectroscopy(TDS).Sparse and small blisters(~0.1 μm) were observed by SEM after D plasma irradiation on every irradiated surface;yet they did not exhibit significant structure or plasma fluence dependence.Larger blisters or protrusions appeared after subsequent TDS heating up to 1000 ℃.The TDS results showed a single D desorption peak at ~220℃ for all samples and the D retention increased with increasing numbers of extrusion passes,i.e.,the decrease of grain sizes.The increased D retention in this low temperature range should be attributed to the faster diffusion of D along the larger volume fraction of grain boundaries introduced by ECAP.     

The Synergetic Effects of Hydrogen and Oxygen on the Strength and Ductility of Vanadium Alloys

A V4Ti alloy and several V4Cr4Ti alloys with different oxygen contents were studied on their tensile properties with the effect of hydrogen concentrations. The ductility of the alloys showed a successive decrease in a varied rate with an increased hydrogen concentration, while the ultimate tensile strength remained unchanged or even decreased for the high oxygen content alloy in spite of the occurrence of hardening in the low oxygen content alloy. Oxygen in the alloy causes grain boundary weakening, increasing the possibility of intergranular fractures and thus enhancing the hydrogen embrittlement. V4Ti showed a higher resistance to the hydrogen embrittlement as compared to the V4Cr4Ti alloys on a similar oxygen content level.     

Annealing behavior of ultrathin Mo layer located at interface or on surface of Ti－Si system

Annealing behavior,at different annealing temperatures,of an ultrathin Mo layer located between a Ti film and Si substrate or deposited on the top of surface of a Ti film was investigated by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry(RBS), cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry(EDS),In a Ti/Mo/Si structure,partially reacted film with layer structure of Ti-rich silicide/TiSi2/(Mo,Ti) Si2 on a Si substrate was formed after 550℃ annealing for 30min.The ratio of Mo to Ti in(Mo,Ti)Si2 layer decreases from near Si substrate upwards and becomes zero at about 20nm away.In a Mo/Ti/Si structure, The surface Mo layer enhances the Si diffusion from the substrate during annealing.Mo bearing Ti rich silicide exists on the surface until 600℃ and then converts to (Mo,Ti )Si2 after 650℃ annealing,and the atomic ratio of Mo to Ti decreases from the top surface into Ti silicide film,and becomes zero at about 30nm away from the surface.In both cases of interface Mo and surface Mo layer,thd atomic ratio of Mo to Ti in the region of (Mo,Ti)Si2 was found to be very low,with an average value of less than 0.2.Low content of Mo in Mo containing ternary silicide leads easily to the formation of the stable phase of C54(Mo,Ti)Si2,which acts as a template for the formation of C54 TiSi2 beneath when Mo is deposited on the surface.     

Effect of Low-Pressure Nitrogen DC Plasma Treatment on the Surface Properties of Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene, Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) and Polyvinyl Chloride Films

In this study, commercial biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films were treated with nitrogen plasma over different exposure times in a Pyrex tube surrounded by a DC variable magnetic field. The chemical changes that appeared on the surface of the samples were investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR- FTIR) spectroscopy after treatment for 2 min, 4 min and 6 min in a nitrogen plasma chamber. Effects of the plasma treatment on the surface topographies and contact angles of the untreated and plasma treated films were also analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and a contact angle measuring system. The results show that the plasma treated films become more hydrophilic with an enhanced wettability due to the formation of some new polar groups on the surface of the treated films. Moreover, at higher exposure times, the total surface energy in all treated films increased while a reduction in contact angle occurred. The behavior of surface roughness in each sample was completely different at higher exposure times.     

Effect of humic acid contact time on the diffusion of Re(Ⅶ) in GMZ bentonite

The effect of humic acid(HA) on the diffusion of Re(Ⅶ) was investigated in compacted Gaomiaozi(GMZ)bentonite by the through- and out- diffusion method. The effective diffusion coefficient, D e, and accessible porosity, εacc, were measured in order to evaluate the impact of humic acid on Re(Ⅶ) diffusion. The D e value was in the range of(5.2–8.3)×10-12m2/s. The diffusion of Re(Ⅶ) was enhanced in the presence of HA, and the D e value increased with the increase of ageing time, indicating that the formation of HA-Re complexes was slow. Moreover, the εacc was in the range of(0.06– 0.16), which is less than the total porosity. It implies that the HA-Re complexes are anions.     

Improving Hydrophobicity of Glass Surface Using Dielectric Barrier Discharge Treatment in Atmospheric Air

Non-thermal plasmas under atmospheric pressure are of great interest in industrial applications, especially in material surface treatment. In this paper, the treatment of a glass surface for improving hydrophobicity using the non-thermal plasma generated by dielectric barrier discharge （DBD） at atmospheric pressure in ambient air is conducted, and the surface properties of the glass before and after the DBD treatment are studied by using contact angle measurement, surface resistance measurement and wet flashover voltage tests. The effects of the applied voltage and time duration of DBD on the surface modification are studied, and the optimal conditions for the treatment are obtained. It is found that a layer of hydrophobic coating is formed on the glass surface after spraying a thin layer of silicone oil and undergoing the DBD treatment, and the improvement of hydrophobicity depends on DBD voltage and treating time. It seems that there exists an optimum treating time for a certain applied voltage of DBD during the surface treatment, The test results of thermal aging and chemical aging show that the hydrophobic layer has quite stable characteristics. The interaction mechanism between the DBD plasma and the glass surface is discussed. It is concluded that CHa and large molecule radicals can react with the radicals in the glass surface to replace OH, and the hydrophobicity of the glass surface is improved accordingly.     

Electromagnetic–thermal–structural coupling analysis of the ITER edge localized mode coil with flexible supports

In a fusion reactor, the edge localized mode(ELM) coil has a mitigating effect on the ELMs of the plasma. The coil is placed close to the plasma between the vacuum vessel and the blanket to reduce its design power and improve its mitigating ability. The coil works in a high-temperature,high-nuclear-heat and high-magnetic-field environment. Due to the existence of outer superconducting coils, the coil is subjected to an alternating electromagnetic force induced by its own alternating current and the outer magnetic field. The design goal for the ELM coil is to maintain its structural integrity in the multi-physical field. Taking as an example the middle ELM coil(with flexible supports) of ITER(the International Thermonuclear Fusion Reactor), an electromagnetic–thermal–structural coupling analysis is carried out using ANSYS. The results show that the flexible supports help the three-layer casing meet the static and fatigue design requirements. The structural design of the middle ELM coil is reasonable and feasible. The work described in this paper provides the theoretical basis and method for ELM coil design.     

Surface Roughness of Various Diamond-Like Carbon Films

Atomic force microscopy is used to estimate and compare the surface morphology of hydrogenated and hydrogen-free diamond-like carbon （DLC） films. The films were prepared by using DC magnetron sputtering of a graphite target, pulsed cathodic carbon arcs, electron cyclotron resonance （ECR）, plasma source ion implantation and dielectric barrier discharge （DBD）. The difference in the surface structure is presented for each method of deposition. The influences of various discharge parameters on the film surface properties are discussed based upon the experimental results. The coalescence process via the diffusion of adsorbed carbon species is responsible for the formation of hydrogen-free DLC films with rough surfaces. The films with surface roughness at an atomic level can be deposited by energetic ion impacts in a highly ionized carbon plasma. The hydrocarbon species dangling bonds created by atomic hydrogen lead to the uniform growth of at the a-C：H film surfaces of the ECR or DBD plasmas     

Thermal–hydraulic analysis of space nuclear reactor TOPAZ-Ⅱ with modified RELAP5

With the advantages of high reliability, power density, and long life, nuclear power reactors have become a promising option for space power. In this study, the Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program 5(RELAP5), with the implementation of sodium–potassium eutectic alloy(NaK-78) properties and heat transfer correlations, is adopted to analyze the thermal–hydraulic characteristics of the space nuclear reactor TOPAZ-Ⅱ.A RELAP5 model including thermionic fuel elements(TFEs), reactor core, radiator, coolant loop, and volume accumulator is established. The temperature reactivity feedback effects of the fuel, TFE emitter, TFE collector,moderator, and reactivity insertion effects of the control drums and safety drums are considered. To benchmark the integrated TOPAZ-Ⅱ system model, an electrical ground test of the fully integrated TOPAZ-Ⅱ system, the V-71 unit,is simulated and analyzed. The calculated coolant temperature and system pressure are in acceptable agreement with the experimental data for the maximum relative errors of 8 and 10%, respectively. The detailed thermal–hydraulic characteristics of TOPAZ-Ⅱ are then simulated and analyzed at the steady state. The calculation results agree well with the design values. The current work provides a solid foundation for space reactor design and transient analysis in the future.     

Electrorefining of nickel from nickel–chromium alloy in molten LiCl–KCl

Electrorefining of nickel in LiCl–KCl melt was investigated using electrochemical techniques. Nickel products after electrorefining were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. Both cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry results suggested that Ni~(2+) was directly reduced to Ni metal in Li Cl–KCl. Based on a preliminary study on the electrochemical behavior of nickel and chromium, electrorefining was carried out under constant potential, whereupon deposits were formed on the cathode.The purity of nickel increased from 72.62% in the original alloy to 99.83% in cathodic deposits, as determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy analysis. Almost all the nickel in the alloy could be recovered during the electrochemical process with [ 90%current efficiency. A lower concentration of Ni Cl_2 in Li Cl–KCl was found to be favorable for nickel electrorefining, as increased Ni Cl_2 concentration caused severe corrosion of the nickel anode at the gas–liquid interface due to the accumulation of Cl_2 gas.     

Surface Modification of NiTi Alloy via Cathodic Plasma Electrolytic Deposition and its Effect on Ni Ion Release and Osteoblast Behaviors

To reduce Ni ion release and improve biocompatibility of NiTi alloy, the cathodic plasma electrolytic deposition (CPED) technique was used to fabricate ceramic coating onto a NiTi alloy surface. The formation of a coating with a rough and micro-textured surface was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, respectively. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry test showed that the formed coating significantly reduced the release of Ni ions from the NiTi alloy in simulated body fluid. The influence of CPED treated NiTi substrates on the biological behaviors of osteoblasts, including cell adhesion, cell viability, and osteogenic differentiation function (alkaline phosphatase), was investigated in vitro. Immunofluorescence staining of nuclei revealed that the CPED treated NiTi alloy was favorable for cell growth. Osteoblasts on CPED modified NiTi alloy showed greater cell viability than those for the native NiTi substrate after 4 and 7 days cultures. More importantly, osteoblasts cultured onto a modified NiTi sample displayed significantly higher differentiation levels of alkaline phosphatase. The results suggested that surface functionalization of NiTi alloy with ceramic coating via the CPED technique was beneficial for cell proliferation and differentiation. The approach presented here is useful for NiTi implants to enhance bone osseointegration and reduce Ni ion release in vitro.     

Fast inactivation of microbes and degradation of organic compounds dissolved in water by thermal plasma

The multifunctionality and the advantages of thermal plasma for the fast inactivation of viable cells and degradation of organic compounds dissolved in waste water are presented.A complete bacterial inactivation process was observed and studied using a thermal plasma treatment source with very short application times,in particular for Staphylococcus aureus bundle spore survival.The survival curves and analyses of the experimental data of the initial and final densities of S.aureus bacteria show a dramatic inhibitory effect of the plasma discharge on the residual bacteria survival ratio.As the exposure time increased,the inactivation process rate increased for direct exposure more than it did for indirect exposure.The evaluation of direct and indirect exposure was based on the analysis of the ultraviolet spectrum from the absorbance spectra of the organic compound dye called benzene sulfonate(C_(16)H_(11)N_2Na O_4S)and of viable cells called S.aureus.Organic compounds were degraded and viable cells were killed in a short time by thermal plasma.Moreover,analyses of total carbon,total organic carbon,and total inorganic carbon showed a fast decrease in organically bound carbon,however,this was not as fast as the absorbance spectra revealed by the exposure time increasing more for direct exposure than indirect exposure.After 100 s of exposure to the organic compound dye the removal had a maximun of 40%for samples with indirect exposure to the plasma and a maximum of 90%for samples with the direct exposure.For both samples,where some organic contaminants still remained in treated water,four electrolytes(KCl,Na Cl,Na_2SO_4,and CH_3COONa)were added to be effective for complete sterilization,reaching a purity of 100%.A proposal is made for an optimized thermal plasma water purification system(TPWPS)to improve fast inactivation of microbes and the degradation of organic compounds dissolved in water(especially for direct exposure rather than indirect exposure)using a hybrid plasma torch with an electrical power of 125 kW(500 V–250 A)producing a high-temperature(10 000 K–19 000 K)plasma jet with a maximum gas consumption of 28 mg s~(-1).     

High Temperature Sodium Thermal Convection Test Loop

A project for the evaluation of compatibility characteristic of structural materials used in China experimental fast reactor(CEFR) has been in operation. The conditions which these structural materials contact with liquid sodium in reactor can be simulated by the tests in high temperature sodium thermal convection test loop. The main aims of designing and constructing the thermal convection test loop is for the corrosion test of CEFR materials, and the objective is to obtain the corrosion data of domestic materials.The main features of the test loop are shown in Fig.1. The primary components of the loop     

Degradation and mineralization of ciprofloxacin by gas–liquid discharge non-thermal plasma

A typical quinolones antibiotic ciprofloxacin(CIP) in aqueous solution was degraded by a gas–liquid discharge non-thermal plasma system. The discharge plasma power and the emission intensity of the excited reactive species(RS) generated in the gas phase were detected by the oscilloscope and the optical emission spectroscopy. The effects of various parameters on CIP degradation, i.e. input powers, initial concentrations addition of radical scavengers and p H values were investigated. With the increase of discharge power, the degradation efficiency increased but the energy efficiency significantly reduced. The degradation efficiency also reduced under high concentration of initial CIP conditions due to the competitive reactions between the plasma-induced RS with the degradation intermediates of CIP. Different radical scavengers(isopropanol and CCl_4) on ·OH and H· were added into the reaction system and the oxidation effects of ·OH radicals have been proved with high degradation capacity on CIP.Moreover, the long-term degradation effect on CIP in the plasma-treated aqueous solution proved that the long-lived RS(H_2O_2 and O_3, etc) might play key roles on the stay effect through multiple aqueous reactions leading to production of ·OH. The degradation intermediates were determined by the method of electrospray ionization(+)-mass spectroscopy, and the possible degradation mechanism were presented.